Greater Manchester's Scrapped Clean Air Zone Cameras Could Be Handed to Police to Tackle Crime
Greater Manchester – A network of over 400 surveillance cameras, originally installed for the now-abandoned Clean Air Zone (CAZ), could be permanently repurposed as a crime-fighting tool for Greater Manchester Police (GMP), under new proposals now open for public consultation.
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The Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras were erected across the region ahead of the planned May 2022 launch of the controversial charging zone. The scheme, which would have charged drivers of high-polluting vehicles up to £60 a day, was ultimately scrapped following a significant public backlash and replaced with a government-approved plan to invest in cleaner buses and taxis.
While over 1,300 CAZ-related signs have since been removed at a government-funded cost of £600,000, the powerful camera network has remained in place.
Now, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) is proposing a formal transfer of the camera ownership from Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) directly to the police force. Officials argue the move is a common-sense step to enhance public safety.
According to the GMCA, the cameras have already proven their value in tackling serious crime. Between January 2023 and April 2025, data from the network provided crucial vehicle tracking information to detectives investigating 63 major incidents, including murders, fatal crashes, robberies, and firearms offences.
However, the current process requires police to submit applications to TfGM for data access, a procedure which the GMCA states, "takes time and causes delays", in fast-moving investigations.
Handing ownership to GMP would streamline this process, feeding data directly into police systems. This would allow officers to act more quickly in real-time to help keep communities safe and solve serious crimes.
The transfer would also significantly boost GMP's existing ANPR capabilities, bringing its comparatively small network up to a level similar to other major police forces across the country.
The original CAZ scheme faced fierce opposition, not just over the financial burden on drivers and businesses, but also due to concerns it would expose the sheer volume of illegal driving on the region's roads. Many were aware that the scheme would reveal drivers of untaxed, uninsured, or unroadworthy vehicles, a problem that proponents of the new plan say the cameras are now perfectly positioned to address.
By giving police direct and immediate access to this extensive network, the cameras could become a vital tool in identifying and tracking vehicles involved in all forms of criminality, from organised crime to dangerous driving.
The GMCA is now asking residents for their views on the proposed transfer. The public consultation will run ahead of a final decision, which is expected to be made before the end of the year.
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The Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras were erected across the region ahead of the planned May 2022 launch of the controversial charging zone. The scheme, which would have charged drivers of high-polluting vehicles up to £60 a day, was ultimately scrapped following a significant public backlash and replaced with a government-approved plan to invest in cleaner buses and taxis.
While over 1,300 CAZ-related signs have since been removed at a government-funded cost of £600,000, the powerful camera network has remained in place.
Now, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) is proposing a formal transfer of the camera ownership from Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) directly to the police force. Officials argue the move is a common-sense step to enhance public safety.
According to the GMCA, the cameras have already proven their value in tackling serious crime. Between January 2023 and April 2025, data from the network provided crucial vehicle tracking information to detectives investigating 63 major incidents, including murders, fatal crashes, robberies, and firearms offences.
However, the current process requires police to submit applications to TfGM for data access, a procedure which the GMCA states, "takes time and causes delays", in fast-moving investigations.
Handing ownership to GMP would streamline this process, feeding data directly into police systems. This would allow officers to act more quickly in real-time to help keep communities safe and solve serious crimes.
The transfer would also significantly boost GMP's existing ANPR capabilities, bringing its comparatively small network up to a level similar to other major police forces across the country.
The original CAZ scheme faced fierce opposition, not just over the financial burden on drivers and businesses, but also due to concerns it would expose the sheer volume of illegal driving on the region's roads. Many were aware that the scheme would reveal drivers of untaxed, uninsured, or unroadworthy vehicles, a problem that proponents of the new plan say the cameras are now perfectly positioned to address.
By giving police direct and immediate access to this extensive network, the cameras could become a vital tool in identifying and tracking vehicles involved in all forms of criminality, from organised crime to dangerous driving.
The GMCA is now asking residents for their views on the proposed transfer. The public consultation will run ahead of a final decision, which is expected to be made before the end of the year.
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